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Another CH-46 question: rotor blades


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I've a feeling I might be asking quite a few questions of this group...

I'm making the CH-46E in this image, from AOA :

 

aoa_48016_title.jpg

 

The rotor blades are pretty worn, but what I don't know is what colour they wore down to. It is metallic, or grey?

 

Any help is appreciated

 

Jon

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13 hours ago, Tank said:

I would lean grey as they should be a fiberglass material. 

 

Thanks. That what I would have thought, but a CH-46 mech on FB has just informed me it should be metallic, so I'll go with that.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

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I find it unusual that they faded to a metallic colour considering they were made from fibreglass. This picture shows various shades of Blacks through Greys.

The_folded_rotor_blades_of_CH-46E_Sea_Kn

Edited by scotthldr
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I have to confess to being a bit confused. 157664 was originally an F, but should have had fibreglass blades by 2006?

 

Here's some better images from the instructions. I think you can see why I'm tempted to go with a very dull metallic colour:

 

IMG_20221005_0001_resize.jpg

 

Jon

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Ch-46’s are confusing. As I recall it went A, D, F, E, Bullfrog E. Heck that bird was built in 1969, 37 yrs before the 06 photos. I am trying to find a document I have on all the 46 changes I was sent years ago. 
 

I get the confusion, I think I would be tempted with a dull metallic color.

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I always understood that the metal blades were those with square-cut roots, and those with angled roots were the composite type.

That's certainly the case with other helos, such as Chinook, Sea King, H-53 variants...

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1 hour ago, scotthldr said:

I’m not seeing any sort of Metallic finish on the blades in any of the above pictures, just heavily weathered and faded Black🤷‍♂️

 

Well, surely you agree the highlighted sections aren't black, weathered, faded or otherwise? Unless I'm missing something really obvious?

 

IMG_20221005_0001_resize_touched.jpg

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The section near the middle of that rear blade suggests the Marines may have done the same as the RAF does on its Chinooks...

....used 'Blade Tape', applied in sections along the leading edges - might well explain why that particular area appears 'unworn'...

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3 minutes ago, andyf117 said:

The section near the middle of that rear blade suggests the Marines may have done the same as the RAF does on its Chinooks...

....used 'Blade Tape', applied in sections along the leading edges - might well explain why that particular area appears 'unworn'...

 

That's good info - thanks.

 

Jon

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The areas that you’re referring to(I think) are the leading edges of the blades and show the usual weathering and wear of the outer cover wrap revealing the underlying material which in this case is a fibre glass composite so yes a creamy/brown colour. Some blades on other types of helicopters do have a metal anti wear edge to them, but I don’t see it on these.

Edited by scotthldr
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Jon,

 

As a Marine Helicopter mechanic I hope I can shed some light here for you.  The blades on Marine CH-46's whether they are fiber glass of metal blades were always painted black.  The forward area you are seeing that is "metallic" is the nickel abrasion strip used on the blades for sand/rocks protection from erosion in high dusty environments.

 

NAVAIR Spec calls out FS38078 Flat Black for the rotor blades.  As they erode, or get dirty they may appear to turn grayish over time.  But they start out black.  The pictures you have above of the CNATT CH-46 is a good example of a "clean" new "training" airplane and the blades are black.

 

If the NAVAIR Spec has changed on the blades I didn't see it, and the Phrogs have been retired for a few years now, but in the 33 years I was around CH-53's and CH-46's they were flat black.  (1985-2018 was my stint in the Marines.)

 

r/Dan

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26 minutes ago, YF65_CH53E said:

Jon,

 

As a Marine Helicopter mechanic I hope I can shed some light here for you.  The blades on Marine CH-46's whether they are fiber glass of metal blades were always painted black.  The forward area you are seeing that is "metallic" is the nickel abrasion strip used on the blades for sand/rocks protection from erosion in high dusty environments.

 

NAVAIR Spec calls out FS38078 Flat Black for the rotor blades.  As they erode, or get dirty they may appear to turn grayish over time.  But they start out black.  The pictures you have above of the CNATT CH-46 is a good example of a "clean" new "training" airplane and the blades are black.

 

If the NAVAIR Spec has changed on the blades I didn't see it, and the Phrogs have been retired for a few years now, but in the 33 years I was around CH-53's and CH-46's they were flat black.  (1985-2018 was my stint in the Marines.)

 

r/Dan

 

Dan,

 

This is great - thank you for such a thorough reply. Does that mean the eroded leading edge should be a metallic colour (the nickel strip)?

 

Cheers

 

Jon

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1 hour ago, jonbryon said:

 

Dan,

 

This is great - thank you for such a thorough reply. Does that mean the eroded leading edge should be a metallic colour (the nickel strip)?

 

Cheers

 

Jon

Jon,

 

Yes the nickel strip needs to be silver colored.  Unless you want to assume the blade tape has been installed to slow the erosion down, but with in a few flights this tape shows erosion as well.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Gunny

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